The Written Past
by vangoghadmirer
Summary: AN: This was written back in 2001, and originally posted on a yahoogroup. Synopsis: Zoey finds some letters written in the past while she's dating Charlie.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: They aren't mine they belong to the greater powers of  
the "The West Wing" world and I don't claim them I just took them  
away for a little joy ride and will have them safely returned before   
their curfews.

"A Written Past"  
By: Vangoghadmirer

Zoey was now a sophomore at Georgetown and during her Winter  
Break; she needed to get some research done for an upcoming thesis  
paper. And she once remembered seeing something in her father's  
office at the house that would help her with it, but if she  
remembered correctly, what she saw those years back was now in  
storage. Therefore, she decided to rummage through all the boxes of  
stuff and only hoped that someone had labeled all the boxes or she  
might be there for an eternity.

She put on her coat and walked outside, where there was snow  
all over the place; and she ventured over to the storage units in the  
far end of the Bartlet farm. By the time she got to the exact place  
where the box she was looking for would be found in. Zoey punches in  
a code that would let her into the building. She walks in and flips  
on the lights once the room lights up she sneezes.

"Must be all the dust in the room, now where could that box  
be?"

She walks around and eventually finds the area that holds the  
wanted boxes. 

"Thank God, for Mom she labels everything," she states  
looking at the boxes with Abby's handwriting-written office on the  
side of the boxes, "well this is where I'm going to start."

She lifts the top box, places it on the floor, and carefully  
opens it. Zoey shuffles through papers and not finding what she is  
looking for she closes it up and gets the next box, after shuffling  
through a few top papers she finds something a little more  
interesting than what she was looking for-a rather large bundle of  
envelopes and letters. Out of curiosity she undid the bundle and  
opened the first envelope. She unfolds the letter from the past.

_Abigail,_

The day we met I could never get you out of my mind, you've  
haunted my thoughts. I think I may have fallen in love with you. I  
had originally planned to become a priest when I came to Notre Dame,  
but when Leo introduced you to me I quickly changed my mind. Would  
you, Abigail Barrington do me the honor of your company and go out on a  
date on Saturday evening. I may be a fool but I believe you own my  
heart now.

Your Admirer,  
Josiah Bartlet

"Wow it's hard to believe that dad actually fell head over heals with  
mom, which may explain why he is such a klutz," Zoey folds the paper  
up and places it back in its envelope.

Then she digs out the next envelope and looks at the  
handwriting on it, "This one was written by mom, wonder if it was in  
response to dad's letter," she opens the envelope and unfolds the  
letter from the envelope.

_Josiah,_

Thank you for a wonderful evening the other night. Although  
I hope your knee is okay; that chair should have watched where it was  
going. So since you've changed your major what do you plan to do now  
except obsess over me. You were such a perfect gentleman when you   
kissed me good-bye at my door and didn't even ask to come in. In two  
weeks I'm going back home for the weekend and would like you to join  
me, so I can introduce you to my parents. Oh, and I'll see you on  
Friday at the movies.

Love,  
Abigail

"My parents are hopeless romantics no wonder when they are together  
you can never separate them."

Zoey hears footsteps and quickly stuffs the bundle in her  
coat pocket.

"Zoey, what are you doing in here everyone's been looking for  
you."

She turns around and faces a familiar person, "Charlie! You  
scared me!"

The two young lovers leave the building and walk hand in hand  
back to the farmhouse.

We still have a lot to learn from my parents' Zoey thinks to  
herself.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimers: see part one for them. I don't want to write them again.

Dedicated to my dear friend Becky who inspired this part; and it's  
about time I dedicate a story to her because she's done so many for   
me.

"The Written Past" 2/?

By: Vangoghadmirer

Later that evening after Zoey had found the bundle of "love letters",   
she finally found a quite moment alone to continue reading them.

_Jed,_

I'm glad you came with me to meet my parents or otherwise  
the whole weekend would have been a complete bore. Although I don't   
think my friend Phyllis likes you; we may have been friends since   
childhood but I don't care that she hates you all that matter is that  
I like you. And the strange thing is your toughest opponent in  
dating me, other known as my father I think he absolutely adores you.   
Unfortunately, my mother on the other had will probably take a while  
to like you-considering when you and my father were playing football  
you accidentally ran in to her causing you and her to fall into the  
pool. And I think that's the main reason why dad likes you so much-  
you embarrassed my mother on the very first day of meeting her, which  
is hard task to do. I think I'm going to have to thank Leo for   
setting us both up, he's actually a sweetheart in the inside but   
tough as brass on the outside. Jed, my dear I think I love you  
because you make my laugh so much in the inside, when you enter the  
same room as I my heart just lights up.

With much love,

Abbey 

"This may explain why Grandma Barrington has never liked dad." Zoey  
ponders to herself.

Zoey puts the letter away and gets out another one that just so  
happens to be the one that goes with the one Abbey wrote.

_Abbey,_

I'm glad to hear that you dad likes me so much but I  
guess I'll just have to work the Bartlet magic on your mother and I  
should win her over in no time. Next time I see Leo I'll have to   
thank him too unless it is when Notre Dame is playing his school.   
Hey would you join me in the library tomorrow evening to do some  
studying-because I just want to see you I just can't quit pacing when  
you're not around, I need to be in your company even if it is just  
enough to get me through the next day.

Deeply and madly in love with you,

Jed

At times dad is such a doofus.

She puts that one away and gets out another letter that is dated a  
few months after these letters.

_Jed,_

I'm sorry I haven't spoken to you for a few days, yet  
alone returned your calls, or been to any of my classes. But my   
world's being torn apart the stable ground I knew is now gone. When  
I learned this I could hardly breath and what's sad is the whole day  
I felt like something terrible happened it was like a sixth sense.   
But I'm going to need you more than ever, I need a stable shoulder to  
cry and lean on. My dear father died two days ago of a fatal heart  
attack. This man was supposed to be alive and walk me down the aisle  
when I marry, he was supposed to be there to spoil my first child,  
watch me graduate from college; but he's not. The funeral is in two  
days and I was wondering if you would be able to accompany me so I  
can say my final goodbyes.

Love always,

Abbey

I knew poppy died before they were married but I can't believe he  
died of a heart attack I bet mom was completely torn like when they  
found out dad had MS.

_Abbey,_

I know your father is gone but this doesn't mean you have  
to let your health slide. For goodness sakes, you're a pre-med   
major you should know that refusing to eat and sleep would do your  
body much harm. And if you don't start eating I going to have to  
move in with you at your apartment and force-feed you. And if you  
don't get some sleep because you look like crap I going to have to  
find some way to make you fall asleep and I hope you don't think I'm  
just fooling you. I love you enough I can't watch you let yourself  
just slip away the world would be deprived of something wonderful if  
I allowed it. Please if not for yourself and not for me then in your  
father's honor take better care of yourself-make him even prouder of  
you. Oh, and I can start moving in this afternoon if you'd like.   
Please take better care of yourself I just can't see waste yourself  
like this.

The man of your dreams,

Jed

It's somewhat funny that now it's mom who's always on dad's case  
about his health.

There was a knock on the door and Zoey quickly put away the letters  
and hide them under the pillow on the couch just as her dad walked  
into the room.

"How you doing munchkin?"


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: See Part One for the disclaimer.

"The Written Past"  
By: Vangoghadmirer

There was a knock on the door and Zoey quickly put away the letters  
and hide them under the pillow on the couch just as her dad walked into the  
room.

"How you doing munchkin?"

"Not much of anything, why?"

"I heard you were searching for some stuff for college in storage,  
did you find what you wanted?"

"No, not exactly, I found something even better."

"That's good," he starts heading towards the door.

"Hey, Dad."

"Yeah, kiddo."

"I know Grandpa Barrington died before you and mom married, but what was  
he like-personality wise and all?"

"For the short time I knew him he was like your mother, why?"

"Just curious."

"Okay, see you tomorrow," he leaves the room.

Jed and Abbey's bedroom at the Manchester farmhouse, Abbey is sitting in a chair near the bed reading a book on medical theory or something along those lines. The door opens and she looks up from her book just as Jed walks in.

"So, what's Zoey up to?"

"Seems like nothing much, but I know she's preoccupied."

"Hmmm," Abbey places the book down on the nightstand and   
pulls the covers of the bed back. Then she grabs her nightgown out of the  
dresser and goes into the bathroom to get ready for bed.

Jed loosens his tie enough to where he can pull it off-  
tossing it in a chair. By the time Abbey returns he is in his pajamas, which  
are not Notre Dame sweats.

Abbey flips on the lamp by her side of the bed as Jed  
turns off the bedroom light. The both climb in bed for a much need rest which  
seemed like they only got a decent nights sleep when they were at the farm  
house. Once they were comfortable and warm underneath the covers Abbey turns  
and faces Jed.

"So, did Zoey say anything about finding the letters?"

"No, do you want to do anything about them."

"Not now, maybe later, I'm going to make it so she can  
read the other letters later."

"ABIGAIL."

"I took the rest of them out of storage they're in the  
bottom drawer of my dresser."

"Abigail, have I told you how much I love you lately."

"No, not today."

Jed leans over her, "Abbey I love you more than my heart  
can hold," he passionately kisses her.

There's a knock on the door and Jed unwillingly releases  
his lips from Abbey's, "Whoever's on the other side of that door's going   
wish they were not alive," Jed yells.

"Sir, sorry," Charlie answers, "but since you   
disconnected your phone in there Leo was unable to get a hold of you so he's on the  
other line in the living room,"

"Okay, I'll bee down in a few minutes," he sighs, "I'll   
see you later and don't go anywhere," he refers to Abbey.

"Don't worry I don't plan to, so when should we let Zoey  
find more of the letters?"

"Tomorrow after breakfast I think, unless there's a  
crisis with Leo."

He climbs out of the bed and throws on a robe and  
regretfully leaves the room to do his job that never ends.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: See part one.

Feed back: GREATLY APPRECIATED

"The Written Past" 4/?  
By: Vangoghadmirer

Jed was now in the living room on the phone with Leo.

"Yeah..what..how'd this happen...okay...I'll be there in about an hour..Leo..this will be taken care off quickly..yeah..bye."

Jed rushes to put on his coat over his pajamas not realizing how cold it is outside and has the helicopter started. He knew he had to get this sorted out tonight because he wanted to be back before Abbey woke up.

Jed is whisked away back to the White House because the world never sleeps.

Zoey was still up and had finally gotten to the final letter in the bundle. Only this letter did not really belong in with the bundle it was written a few years after the majority of the letters there. But it was there for a reason.

_Josiah Bartlet_

I thought I knew you better, but I was clearly wrong. I can't believe you did what you did at that party, it was absolutely and completely uncalled for. Jealousy has apparently gotten the better of you, when you got into a fistfight with Ron. He's just a friend from one of my classes, nothing more; and you didn't need to break his nose. Because of this I'm breaking up with you-I don't even know who you are any more.

_  
Goodbye,_

Abigail Barrington

I knew that for a while mom dated Ron but I didn't think that she broke up with dad because of his manliness of the time.

Jed came straggling in the farmhouse at about 3 am and he was dead tired. As he walked up the stairs that led to his and Abbey's bedroom, he turned to his aide.

"Charlie, don't wake me up in the morning," he yawns, "I'm sleeping in."

Charlie smiles as Jed turns and climbs up the stairs or more likely stumbles up the stairs.

Jed finally reaches the bedroom door and gently opens it trying his hardest not to wake up Abbey. He gets inside the room and manages to close the door without making any

noise. He lightly walks to the bed and literally falls into it pulling the covers around him. But Abbey begins to stir.

"Jed did you save the world?" She knows he's there but she's talking in her sleep.

"Yeah, babe I did."

"Good." She wraps her arm around his waist and Jed falls asleep in her embrace.

The next morning Abbey is awake before Jed because the bright sun was shinning through the windows and she couldn't sleep any longer. She lies there for a moment just staring at Jed's sweet slumbering face, he's so peaceful when he's asleep and so good-looking. I don't know what I did to deserve such a good man, every day's a blessing. She finally decides to get out of bed and wonders to the bathroom, turning on the shower to   
enjoy a hot steamy shower. Eventually she leaves the bathroom and digs out the rest of  
the letters from her dresser drawer. She sits down in the chair near Jed's side of the bed and begins to look through the letters, picking the perfect ones to allow Zoey to find next.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: See part one.

"Written Past" 5/5 

Written By: Vangoghadmirer

The next morning Abby had sent Zoey to dig something out of her closet for her while she was in the shower. Just unknown to Zoey the plan had been already plotted. Zoey reached up to the top self of the closet to pull down a box and when she pulled down that one box another one fell down first, literally dropping its contents to the floor. Zoey places the other box right outside the closet and starts to pick up the contents of the other box.

She notices another bundle of letters and wonders why these ones weren't with the other ones she found. She unties the bundle and reads the first few outside envelopes of each, some were from someone other than her father.

"Zoey, did you find it," Abby calls from the bathroom as the shower shuts off.

"Yeah I did." She stuffs the bundle into her pocket.

"Good, just leave it on the bed."

"Okay, I'm going downstairs." Zoey places the other box on the bed and leaves the room.

Once downstairs Zoey finds a quiet place alone and digs out the bundle of letters.

"I wonder whom it was that mom was writing to at the time, other than Dad maybe it was Ron? I heard they were dating years back. But if these are from him why would she save them." Zoey says quietly to herself.

She opens the first letter and reads it.

_Abbey,_

I'm sorry that the jerk of a boyfriend of yours had to ruin the day. And I understand if because of what I did if you wouldn't speak to me again either. But, I hope not. . .that would be the end of me if you chose that. Although I was hoping that you would join me and see a movie-just as friends. I'm hoping you'd say yes and if so call me soon. Hey, just thought I'd mention that my nose is healing quite nicely-it's not as bad as I thought it would look.

_All my Love,_

Ronnie

"Ewe how gross is that, mom actually went out on a date with him."

She puts that letter away and pulls out the next one, which was written by her mother.

_Ron,_

Actually, I was quite glad when I got your letter and then called you back agreeing to the movies. It was such a stress reliever after breaking up with Jed. Oh, and yes I'll go with you to Las Vegas for Spring Break. It will be fun to go and see all the glitter of that city. You've been such a great friend.

Love,  
Abbey

Mom going to Las Vegas, now that's something, I thought the first time she went there was about twenty years ago. Hmm, that's something to ask her about-making a mental note.

_Jed,_

For once I'd hope you'd read my letters and quit sending them back to me. I think I've found someone who's more stubborn than me and that's you. The sad thing is I miss you, your laughter, humor and most of all your company. What did I do to be so blind and not see what was right in front of me? How could I have done that to you. Ron had only wanted to break us up and you saw that but I didn't. I should have seen right through him when he tried things. I only walked off finally and didn't look back. So I've been  
sitting here alone and miserable but the only thing is I've had you in my mind for the  
longest time. Okay, call me, don't call me it's entirely up to you. I just hope you do the right thing.

Abigail Barrington

_Abigail Barrington,_

Since our relationship somewhat revolved around letters. I thought I'd ask you this, I only hope a note with the dozen red roses will work, so here goes. Abigail Barrington will you do me the honor and become my wife. I fell head over heals literally when I first met you and I can't even dream of living without you.

To Love and Honor You for the Rest of my Days,

Josiah Bartlet

Dad was a hopeless romantic and he probably still is but I'm not going to picture that-it would be plain sick. I'd have a mental image for years.

She puts the letter away and notices the last envelope, which was written by  
her mother and addressed to her. She opens it and reads it slowly.

_Zoey,_

Right about now I bet your wondering why on earth did I purposely allow you to read these letters. For one reason to show you that at times love is strange. At one moment it seems to be going one way then it makes a complete turn around. Although I'm not quite sure why I allowed these letters to be read, maybe it was so that Charlie and you wouldn't make the same mistakes as Jed and I. Maybe it was just to let you have a glimpse into our written past; something that will never change.

Charlie and you have something special that is unique and worth keeping and don't ever let it slip away.

Love,  
Mom

Zoey puts the letter back in its envelope and puts it into her pocket. She grabs the bundle of letters and goes back upstairs to find her mother. She knocks on the door of her parents' bedroom.

"Come in."

"Hey, mom," Zoey stands there in the doorway clutching the bundle of letters.

Abbey looks up from the computer screen. "Come in and sit down," she motions  
Zoey to come into the room.

Zoey enters the room and shuts the door behind her. And pulls up a chair next to her mom. Abbey finishes what she was typing and hits the send button right before closing the laptop. Zoey smiles and places the bundle of letters on the table.

"Mom, one question did you and Ron actually go to Las Vegas?"

Abby gets up and takes the bundle of letters and places them in her dresser  
drawler.

"No, I didn't. I almost did but I backed out of it at the last minute."

"Oh," she looks at the laptop, "What were you typing before I came in here?"

Abbey sits back down next to Zoey, "Well since your father had to bail out  
early because of something that couldn't wait, and since I recently convinced  
him to join the 21st Century by learning email. I was writing him a letter,   
somewhat adding to the Written Past."

The End


End file.
